South Mountain Elementary School

Q: Is South Mountain Elementary School a good school?

South Mountain Elementary School ranks 574 th of 1534 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

South Mountain Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, serving 407 students in grades K-5 and part of the Northern York County School District.

South Mountain Elementary School consistently outperforms the district and state in academic performance, with 55.3% of students proficient or better in PSSA Math, 66.1% in PSSA English Language Arts, and 69.9% in PSSA Science. However, the school has a relatively homogeneous student population, with 92.38% of students identifying as White, which is higher than nearby schools like Dillsburg Elementary School (89.62% White) and Northern Elementary School (82.53% White). Additionally, South Mountain Elementary School serves a more affluent student population, with only 25.31% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, compared to schools like Mt. Holly Springs Elementary School (59.64%) and Iron Forge Elementary School (40%).

When compared to nearby schools, South Mountain Elementary School stands out for its consistently high academic performance, ranking in the top half of Pennsylvania elementary schools based on the SchoolDigger statewide ranking. However, the school's lack of racial diversity and its more affluent student population may raise questions about the educational experiences and opportunities provided to all students, especially in comparison to the more diverse and economically diverse schools in the Mechanicsburg Area School District and Cumberland Valley School District.

Detail:

Public K-5

711 South Mountain Road
Dillsburg, PA 17019-8720

(717) 432-8691

District: Northern York County School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
574^th of 1,534 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,928

Students who attend South Mountain Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Northern Middle School
High:	Northern High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.0

Number of students: 407

Racial breakdown:

White:

92.4%

Hispanic:

2.9%

African American:

1.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 25.3%

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Compare South Mountain Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details South Mountain Elementary School ranks better than 62.6% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 2^nd among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Northern York County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 65.97. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (92.4%), Hispanic (2.9%), African American (1.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 25.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Mountain Elementary School is 14. 2 elementary schools in the Northern York County School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare South Mountain Elementary School employs 29 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Mountain Elementary School is $13,928. 2 elementary schools in the Northern York County School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

South Mountain Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks South Mountain Elementary School 574^th of 1534 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See South Mountain Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

White students:

Northern York County School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Northern York County School District 212^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for South Mountain Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at South Mountain Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	41.70	869^th	1302	33.3%
2004	74.09	364^th	1308	72.2%
2005	77.21	261^st	1299	79.9%
2006	63.85	619^th	1545	59.9%
2007	74.93	368^th	1555	76.3%
2008	75.10	340^th	1551	78.1%
2009	76.97	286^th	1549	81.5%
2010	67.22	570^th	1579	63.9%
2011	69.84	510^th	1597	68.1%
2012	69.27	576^th	1599	64.0%
2013	71.37	463^rd	1519	69.5%
2014	64.09	641^st	1467	56.3%
2015	61.95	653^rd	1474	55.7%
2016	58.87	787^th	1554	49.4%
2017	60.10	737^th	1547	52.4%
2018	50.13	916^th	1530	40.1%
2019	49.66	934^th	1544	39.5%
2021	63.12	570^th	1433	60.2%
2022	72.79	437^th	1534	71.5%
2023	65.97	574^th	1534	62.6%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Mountain Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	61.47	553^rd	1414	60.9%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at South Mountain Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	47.12	502^nd	1043	51.9%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for White students at South Mountain Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	50.10	636^th	1236	48.5%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Dept of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for South Mountain Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2000	515	4	6	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	530
2001	500	2	4	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	509
2002	455	3	2	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	464
2003	455	3	2	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	464
2004	431	6	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	442
2005	433	4	5	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	443
2006	419	2	8	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	432
2007	421	4	11	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	441
2008	425	6	8	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	444
2009	436	6	13	4	1	n/a	n/a	4	464
2010	455	3	12	4	1	n/a	n/a	4	479
2011	458	2	13	8	2	0	6	0	489
2012	498	3	8	8	2	1	1	0	521
2013	484	4	9	14	1	1	3	0	516
2014	473	4	8	9	1	1	4	0	500
2015	470	3	6	9	0	1	7	0	496
2016	398	7	6	8	1	0	6	0	426
2017	406	11	4	11	2	0	6	0	440
2018	408	10	3	19	2	1	8	0	451
2019	411	9	5	18	0	0	9	0	452
2020	425	12	7	22	0	0	9	0	475
2021	392	14	10	19	0	1	5	0	441
2022	386	7	5	20	0	2	5	0	425
2023	376	7	4	12	0	2	6	0	407

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at South Mountain Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2000	530	28.0	18.9	5.5
2001	509	27.0	18.9	6.7
2002	464	27.6	16.8	6.3
2003	464	27.6	16.8	6.3
2004	442	26.4	16.7	8.4
2005	443	24.8	17.9	6.5
2006	432	24.9	17.3	10.2
2007	441	26.9	16.4	10.9
2008	444	28.6	15.5	9.5
2009	464	28.6	16.2	9.1
2010	479	29.6	16.1	10.5
2011	489	29.6	16.4	11
2012	521	29.8	17.4	9.6
2013	516	29.7	17.3	13.2
2014	500	30.6	16.3	16
2015	496	31.0	16.0	17.1
2016	426	31.0	13.7	21.4
2017	440	28.7	15.2	20.5
2018	451	29.6	15.2	21.3
2019	452	29.7	15.1	17.9
2020	475	30.4	15.5	22.7
2021	441	30.7	14.3	22.4
2022	425	31.9	13.2	20.2
2023	407	29.0	14.0	25.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio South Mountain Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2000	530	28.0	18.9	5.5
2001	509	27.0	18.9	6.7
2002	464	27.6	16.8	6.3
2003	464	27.6	16.8	6.3
2004	442	26.4	16.7	8.4
2005	443	24.8	17.9	6.5
2006	432	24.9	17.3	10.2
2007	441	26.9	16.4	10.9
2008	444	28.6	15.5	9.5
2009	464	28.6	16.2	9.1
2010	479	29.6	16.1	10.5
2011	489	29.6	16.4	11
2012	521	29.8	17.4	9.6
2013	516	29.7	17.3	13.2
2014	500	30.6	16.3	16
2015	496	31.0	16.0	17.1
2016	426	31.0	13.7	21.4
2017	440	28.7	15.2	20.5
2018	451	29.6	15.2	21.3
2019	452	29.7	15.1	17.9
2020	475	30.4	15.5	22.7
2021	441	30.7	14.3	22.4
2022	425	31.9	13.2	20.2
2023	407	29.0	14.0	25.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for South Mountain Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$46 (0.4%)	$11,471 (99.6%)	$11,517
2020	$129 (1.1%)	$11,545 (98.9%)	$11,674
2021	$373 (2.9%)	$12,292 (97.1%)	$12,665
2022	$423 (3.0%)	$13,505 (97.0%)	$13,928

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Mountain Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 934^th of 1544 Elementary schools	Ranks 574^th of 1534 Elementary schools	23.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (South Mountain Elementary School)	47.1	67.6	20.5%
3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	56	51.7	4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Mountain Elementary School)	56.4	71.8	15.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	61.9	54	7.9%
4th Grade Math (South Mountain Elementary School)	40	39.7	0.3%
4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	46.2	46.5	0.3%
4th Grade Science (South Mountain Elementary School)	95	69.9	25.1%
4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	77.8	74.1	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (South Mountain Elementary School)	73.4	52.8	20.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63.6	51.8	11.8%
5th Grade Math (South Mountain Elementary School)	37.5	58.5	21%
5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	43	42.7	0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (South Mountain Elementary School)	56.3	73.1	16.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	58.5	53.6	4.9%
All Grades Math (South Mountain Elementary School)	41.9	55.3	13.4%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (South Mountain Elementary School)	95	69.9	25.1%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (South Mountain Elementary School)	61.1	66.1	5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.9	53.8	7.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	452	407	10%
African American	9	7	22.2%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	5	4	20%
Hispanic	18	12	33.3%
Pacific Islander	0	2
White	411	376	8.5%
Two or More Races	9	6	33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	17.9%	25.3%	7.4%

Schools Near South Mountain Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				PSSA Math (2023)				PSSA Science (2023)		PSSA English Language Arts (2023)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSSA Math 3rd Grade	PSSA Math 4th Grade	PSSA Math 5th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 4th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 3rd Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 4th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 5th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
South Mountain Elementary School	Public	K-5	711 South Mountain Road	Dillsburg	17019	York County	Northern York County School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 432-8691	407	29	14.0	25.3%	376 (92.4%)	7 (1.7%)	12 (2.9%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	6 (1.5%)	66	574^th of 1534 public elementary schools	62.6%		72.8	437^th of 1534 public elementary schools	71.5%	137	67.6	39.7	58.5	55.3	69.9	69.9	71.8	52.8	73.1	66.1	$13,928	$423	$13,505
Dillsburg Elementary School	Public	K-5	202 S Chestnut St	Dillsburg	17019	York County	Northern York County School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 432-8691	472	33	14.4	22.9%	423 (89.6%)	6 (1.3%)	16 (3.4%)	10 (2.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.4%)	77.2	335^th of 1534 public elementary schools	78.2%		81.6	258^th of 1534 public elementary schools	83.2%	77	73.6	50.6	73.7	64.8	81.4	81.4	65.2	66.7	86.8	72.7	$12,386	$262	$12,125
Northern Elementary School	Public	K-5	657 S Baltimore St	Dillsburg	17019	York County	Northern York County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 432-8691	395	30	13.3	40.0%	326 (82.5%)	8 (2.0%)	31 (7.8%)	13 (3.3%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	15 (3.8%)	48.7	895^th of 1534 public elementary schools	41.7%		57.6	737^th of 1534 public elementary schools	52.0%	158	34.9	50.0	32.3	38.9	88.5	88.5	40.0	55.7	56.1	50.5	$14,568	$1,622	$12,945
Monroe Elementary School	Public	K-5	1240 Boiling Springs Rd	Boiling Springs	17007	Cumberland County	Cumberland Valley School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 697-0028	478	31	15.6	25.7%	399 (83.5%)	18 (3.8%)	24 (5.0%)	15 (3.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.4%)	78.9	309^th of 1534 public elementary schools	79.9%		77.8	332^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	78.4%	23	62.3	66.3	67.7	65.2	89.9	89.9	68.9	75.2	61.5	69.3	$12,852	$137	$12,715
Iron Forge Elementary School	Public	3-5	4 Academy Street Suite 200	Boiling Springs	17007	Cumberland County	South Middleton School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 258-6484	484	36	13.3	34.9%	394 (81.4%)	7 (1.4%)	8 (1.7%)	51 (10.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (4.5%)	74.2	402^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	73.8%		79.7	294^th of 1534 public elementary schools	80.8%	108	71.6	64.7	58.0	64.8	84.4	84.4	61.5	65.2	61.5	62.9	$13,361	$801	$12,560
Shepherdstown Elementary School	Public	1-3	1849 S York St	Mechanicsburg	17055	Cumberland County	Mechanicsburg Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 691-4589	263	20	13.2	35.7%	190 (72.2%)	18 (6.8%)	19 (7.2%)	25 (9.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.2%)								(n/a)	66.6			66.6			55.1			55.1	$14,707	$674	$14,033
Upper Allen Elementary School	Public	1-3	1790 S Market St	Mechanicsburg	17055	Cumberland County	Mechanicsburg Area School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 691-4594	286	22	12.9	36.4%	174 (60.8%)	61 (21.3%)	15 (5.2%)	20 (7.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (5.6%)								(n/a)	61.0			61.0			61.0			61.0	$14,371	$468	$13,902
Wellsville Campus	Public	K-5	1060 Zeigler Road	Wellsville	17365	York County	Northern York County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 432-8691	251	19	13.0	36.3%	230 (91.6%)	1 (0.4%)	10 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.0%)	60.2	698^th of 1534 public elementary schools	54.5%		62	644^th of 1534 public elementary schools	58.0%	54	42.2	57.9	35.5	45.6	84.2	84.2	53.3	71.0	64.6	62.3	$16,952	$855	$16,097
Mt Holly Springs Elementary School	Public	K-5	110 Mooreland Ave	Carlisle	17065	Cumberland County	Carlisle Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 240-6800	223	20	11.4	59.6%	180 (80.7%)	6 (2.7%)	22 (9.9%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (6.3%)	22.9	1192^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	22.3%		26.7	1147^th of 1534 public elementary schools	25.2%	45	44.7	24.3	17.9	30.1	45.9	45.9	44.4	28.9	35.7	36.3	$18,247	$1,276	$16,971
W.G. Rice Elementary School	Public	K-2	805 Holly Pike	Mount Holly Springs	17065	Cumberland County	South Middleton School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 258-6484	432	31	14.1	38.4%	349 (80.8%)	7 (1.6%)	11 (2.5%)	41 (9.5%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	21 (4.9%)								(n/a)											$15,981	$940	$15,041

Frequently Asked Questions about South Mountain Elementary School

What schools do graduates of South Mountain Elementary School attend?

Students who attend South Mountain Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Northern Middle School
High : Northern High School

What is the racial makeup of South Mountain Elementary School?

Students at South Mountain Elementary School are 92% White, 3% Hispanic, 2% African American, 1% Two or more races.

How many students attend South Mountain Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 407 students attended South Mountain Elementary School.

Is South Mountain Elementary School a good school?

South Mountain Elementary School ranks 574^th of 1534 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is South Mountain Elementary School in?

Northern York County School District

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.